Shane Battier says he will sign with Miami Heat

MIAMI — The notifications came on Twitter shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday.

They were from Shane Battier. Simple. To the point.

The upshot: The versatile veteran swingman at 2 p.m. Friday, the earliest free agents are allowed to sign in the wake of the NBA lockout, will become a member of the Miami Heat.

Battier is expected to sign a contract starting at $3 million for this season, at the low-tier mid-level exception available to teams operating above the NBA's luxury tax. Such deals can be for a maximum of three seasons.

From the timeline of the 3-point shooting defensive specialist:

-- "The Lockout gave me a lots of time to consider what was important to me at this stage of my life and career. Over the last week, I've played out every scenario in my head over and over. It always came back to one thing for me: a winning role. I am appreciative of all the kind words and recruiting pitches over the last week, thank you!!"

-- "This was a exciting process and after much deliberation, I would like to quote the great poet Jimmy Buffett and take my chances 'Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season' "

-- "Down."

-- "Let's Go Heat."

And, with that, a Heat team created around the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, now becomes a four-wing circus, with Battier and Mike Miller in place to join James and Wade on the perimeter.

The addition of Battier almost certainly assures that the Heat will part ways with 3-point specialist James Jones.

Miller, who still could be dropped in the league's new amnesty program, said earlier this week that he believes he will remain with the team, despite recent hernia surgery.

The strong ties to Duke of Heat executive Nick Arison are among the factors that might have worked in the Heat's favor with the former Blue Devils star.

"A defensive presence," Heat free-agent point guard Mario Chalmers said, when asked what Battier could bring. "Shane's always been known for playing defense and knocking down the corner three and that's what he's going to do here."

The Heat are expected to add other veteran free agents, with journeyman center Eddy Curry expected to report for Friday's 2 p.m. start of training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Battier, 33, split last season between the Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets, averaging 7.6 points and 4.5 rebounds. Perhaps even more significantly, he shot 38.2 percent on 3-pointers last season and is a 38.5-percent career 3-point shooter.

Battier had spoken during the lockout of potential interest in the Heat. He joked on his Twitter account last week, "My head spins with free agency potentials. Does anyone have a copy of NBA 2K12 to work some of these scenarios out? Thanks." Before that, he posted, "Getting mad love from Grizz nation, Heat nation, Thunder nation and Rocket nation. Let free agency begin!!! Thanks y'all!"

For the Grizzlies, the free-agency priority was re-signing center Marc Gasol, a restricted free agent. In some ways, Battier merely was holding the place of injured Rudy Gay last season in Memphis, with Gay now in position to reclaim his starting job.